FOOD NEWS
The Soy Sauce Switch You Need For Umami-Packed Fried Noodle Dishes
BY JULIA HOLLAND
Soy sauce is often used in Asian pan fried noodle dishes as a way to add saltiness and umami, but if you don't have any on hand, Worcestershire sauce is a great stand-in.
This popular condiment hails from the U.K., but was inspired by a South Asian sauce. It offers a burst of umami richness with notes of sweet, sour, and salty flavors.
Worcestershire is made with anchovies, vinegar, molasses, tamarind, and spices. It's even fermented like soy sauce is, and adds a similar flavor to your noodles.
Worcestershire is stronger and more pungent than soy sauce. For every ¼ cup of soy sauce in your recipe, use 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon of water.
From there, just stir-fry veggies and/or proteins in a wok, add your noodles with a little peanut or sesame oil to crisp them up, then pour in the stir-fry sauce and toss to coat.